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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29709057">A boy to catch</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/perilouspursuits/pseuds/perilouspursuits'>perilouspursuits</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Peaky Blinders, Peaky Blinders (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst with a Happy Ending, Big Brother John, Finn and Isaiah gotta figure things out, Finn's jealous, M/M, Queer!Finn, canon compliant if you ignore the fact that johns alive and everyone is happy LMAO, god this entire family is emotionally constipated, its pretty funny, this entire story could have been avoided had Finn just been honest</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 17:33:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,167</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29709057</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/perilouspursuits/pseuds/perilouspursuits</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Isaiah was talking to a newcomer, grinning and joking and being all too friendly. Finn was trying to pretend he didn’t care, trying to pretend the way Isaiah let his hand “accidentally” brush the other man’s leg didn’t fill him with something ugly.</p><p> </p><p>TW/ Use of the word Queer and the F-slur</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Isaiah Jesus/Finn Shelby</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>38</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. From brother to brother</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They weren’t exclusive. </p><p>Finn knew that. Isaiah had asked him, asked him if Finn wanted it to be just them. It’d seemed too serious then, like they were committing to something too big, too dangerous. So he’d told Isaiah he was just in it for the fuck. Isaiah had laughed the way he did when someone pissed him off, dressed and left muttering about some business. Now, looking across the Garrison Finn wished he’d said something, anything else. </p><p>Isaiah was talking to a newcomer, grinning and joking like he’d done the night he and Finn had messed around for the first time. Finn was trying to pretend he didn’t care, like the way Isaiah let his hand “accidentally” brush the other man’s leg didn’t fill him with something ugly. It didn’t help that the other man was attractive, more attractive then Finn at least. </p><p>He had tousled brown hair and a bright grin, he dressed like the men Finn used to see when he visited Ada at the library, all class and brains. Finn took a puff of his cigarette and looked back at the girl trying to make conversation with him. She was pretty too but her smile didn’t reach her eyes and Finn was fairly sure any fling he participated in with her would result in neither passion nor satisfaction. So he put out his cigarette and dismissed himself. </p><p>The streets of Birmingham were cold, men lingered in the shadows some greeting him some not. Finn responded to no one. He walked with purpose, the sauntering of someone confident of what and where their destination was. </p><p>Finn found John in the betting shop. Arthur, Tommy and him were sat around a table in the corner talking quietly. They stopped when they noticed Finn standing in the doorway. He approached slowly, giving them time to shuffle their papers and hide whatever needed hiding.</p><p>“Need something Finn?” Tommy asked, taking a drag from his cigarette as he leaned back in his chair.  </p><p>“Can I speak to John?” </p><p>John straightened his posture a bit when he heard his name looking at Finn curiously. </p><p>“You’re speaking to him right now,” Arthur said, a hint of a laugh on his voice. </p><p>“I mean like…” Finn was trying to make it clear that he didn’t want to talk to Arthur and Tommy about this without sounding rude. He trusted John’s judgement in this situation more than Arthur and Tommy. The three brothers were like a spectrum see, Arthur was too hot-headed, too quick to anger and Tom, well Tom was the opposite, Finn was pretty sure he was damn near emotionless. And John well, John was a balance of the two. Today Finn needed balance. </p><p>“He means he wants to talk to me alone, c’mon Finn,” John stood up and headed towards the door finishing off his whiskey and leaving the cup on one of the tables. </p><p>Finn shot a grateful glance at his other brothers, they were busy exchanging a look that seemed all too knowing.</p><p>John was stood in front of the fireplace, sipping at a clear liquid that Finn would’ve sworn was water if he didn’t know better. </p><p>“Go on,” John gestured vaguely at him to sit down at the little table, he did. </p><p>“There’s a girl,” There most definitely was not a girl. </p><p>John laughed, outright laughed at that. </p><p>“Jesus Finn Boy I thought you’d killed somebody or somethin’.” </p><p>Finn couldn’t really find the humor in him killing anyone either but he was grateful that John was in good spirits. </p><p>“So this girl, she pretty?” <br/>Finn paused a second, letting himself remember how Isaiah looked, how he grinned and laughed, how he smiled even when there was fuck all to smile about. Shit. </p><p>“Yeah, yeah she’s pretty,” Finn conceded. </p><p>“So what’s the issue, she mean?” That earned a snort from Finn until he realized John was dead serious. </p><p>“No she’s nice, god she’s nice,” Finn wouldn’t soon forget the flowers that had appeared on his dining room table or the inconspicuous way Isaiah always managed to ask him if he was alright. </p><p>John leaned back in his chair producing a toothpick from god knows where and popping it between his lips. </p><p>“Seems like you’ve bagged a good one then,” </p><p>Finn was unsure of how to phrase what he was going to say next. </p><p>“I haven’t bagged her,”       . </p><p>John raised an eyebrow. </p><p>“She asked me the other night, if I wanted to, to-,” Finn waved a bit with his hand failing to find the words. </p><p>“Fuck,” John filled in. </p><p>“What? No,” </p><p>“So you’ve already fucked her?” Finn regretted talking to John about this. </p><p>Jesus fucking christ. Finn wanted advice not to doll out the details of his private business to his brother. It didn’t help that he was red as a tomato and John’s tone had lost all seriousness. </p><p>“Yeah,” he breathed out. </p><p>“What’d she ask you then?” John was serious again, somehow flipping between that and immaturity seamlessly. </p><p>“She asked me if I wanted it to just be us,” </p><p>“What?” Finn was trying not to fucking implode. </p><p>“She ask if I wanted to fucking, I don’t know court her,” </p><p>“What’d you say?” </p><p>“I said I was in it for the fuck,” </p><p>“Was that true?” </p><p>“I-, I don’t know,” </p><p>John stared at him a moment as if working something out. </p><p>“Who is she?” </p><p>Finn paused, shoving his hands in his pockets. </p><p>“That’s not important,” </p><p>“Did you get her pregnant?” Finn nearly laughed at that. </p><p>“No.” </p><p>“She a whore?” </p><p>“Shut up, please John shut the fuck up,” </p><p>John grinned and lit a cigarette. </p><p>“Just trying to watch out for you, don’t want to get the clap do ya?” </p><p>“She’s sleeping with other people,” </p><p>“Well yeah, you told her she could didn’t you?” </p><p>Finn scoffed, making it clear he was waiting for actual advice. </p><p>“You’re a Shelby brother, one word and whatever man she’s fucking around with ends up in the Cut,” </p><p>“I don’t want him dead, I just want her to-,” </p><p>“You want her to be yours.” This time John’s fill in the blank was actually correct. Finn was quiet a moment before nodding. Finally John leaned forward like he did when he got serious. </p><p>“So pull rank,” What the fuck did he mean pull rank. John seemed to see his confusion immediately and continued. </p><p>“She lives in Birmingham right?” Finn made a noise of agreement. “So she know about us, she knows what we do, so go to her place right, and tell her that if she likes, she can be part of the family,” </p><p>“She’s already part of the family,” </p><p>John gave him a look and Finn realized the implications of what he’d said. He simultaneously realized there was no real way to escape this without telling John everything. So he did. </p><p>He sat and spilled his secrets and once he’d finished with the whole queer bit he waited for John to say something… anything. John wasn't complying with his wish, simply looking at him as he took another drag of his cigarette. </p><p>“Tommy won’t be happy,” he finally said. It was not Finn’s plan to tell anyone tonight. He hadn’t really planned on telling anyone period. Faced with the idea of scrutiny from the rest of his family Finn’s knees went weak. Finn cared about what his family, especially Tommy, thought of him. </p><p>“I don’t care what Tommy thinks,”  </p><p>“He’ll say its bad for business,” </p><p>“Is it?” </p><p>“Yeah but Ada fucking a bolshevik was also bad for business and Tom wasn’t able to do much about that, you’ll probably be fine,” </p><p>Finn forced himself to breathe, everything was okay, totally okay. John didn’t look like he was about to pull a gun and that was more than he could have hoped for. </p><p>“It's Isaiah then isn’t it?” Jesus CHRIST Finn just couldn't catch a break could he? </p><p>“You won’t murder him?” </p><p>“Murder him? Jeremiah would have our heads, you’ve got a boy to catch don’t you?” </p><p>Fuck. Yes in fact Finn did have a boy to catch. </p><p>“Don’t tell the others alright?” </p><p>“I would never,” </p><p>Finn grinned at his brother before walking out the door, he did in fact have a boy to catch.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Finn grinned at his brother before leaving, he did in fact have a boy to catch.  That was easier said than done apparently, Isaiah was nowhere to be found. The Garrison was full to the brim but there was no sign of Finn’s best friend anywhere. He checked all the other likely places before eventually giving into the idea that Isaiah had gone home with the toff from earlier. </p><p>Finn began his trudge home before he remembered the bottle of whiskey in the desk in his office. It was strong stuff, Finn had tried it once and nearly been drunk off a couple sips but now seemed like a perfect time for strong stuff. So Finn turned on his heel once again and started for the office. </p><p>The whiskey was where he’d left it. Second drawer to the ground right next to a musty pack of cigarettes. Finn pulled it out and grabbed a glass. He was out of sorts but not so out of sorts he wanted to drink straight from the bottle.</p><p>He had his back turned to the door when he heard the floorboard down the hall creak. Instinctively he reached for his gun, it was too late for anyone to have good reason to be in the building and Finn wasn’t keen on getting murdered before he got to finish his bottle of whiskey. He moved quickly and with purpose, turning and pulling his gun, pointing it at the door. </p><p>He tried to ignore the slight tremble in his hands as the door opened and someone stepped inside. A gun went off and Finn thought he’d been shot until he heard the yelling. </p><p>“What the fuck?!” </p><p>Finn reached for the lamp then, hoping to shed a little light on the situation. Isaiah stood staring at the bullet lodged a good four inches to his right in the doorframe. </p><p>“Did you just try to shoot me?” </p><p>Finn apologized quickly, still a little shaken. Isaiah, getting over his shock quickly, sat himself in the chair in front of Finn’s desk and Finn absentmindedly poured him a glass of the whiskey. </p><p>He reached out to hand it to his friend, noticing a darkening spot around his left eye. Part of him wanted to reach out and touch it but thankfully Finn was better at reading the room then firing pistols. </p><p>Isaiah took notice of his staring and smiled sadly.</p><p>“Bloke in the Garrison didn’t take too kindly to my advances,” he explained, taking a swig from the glass Finn had handed him. </p><p>Finn tried to apologize but he really wasn’t sure what to say. </p><p>“He call you faggot?” he asked instead. <br/>“I think it was poof actually,” </p><p>“Haven’t heard that one in a while,” </p><p>Isaiah nodded. </p><p>Finn slowly approached his friend, offering the bottle for a refill Isaiah shook his head. </p><p>“I should be going or my mum will start to worry,” They both knew that was a lie but Finn nodded all the same. </p><p>Isaiah stood and headed towards the door. Finn assured himself he wasn’t going to call after the boy. The Peaky Blinders did not call after people, the Peaky Blinders did not beg. They were not in the business of going soft for people. Finn swore there and then that he would let Isaiah walk out the door and they’d both go on living like nothing had happened. He would not yell after his best friend. </p><p>He yelled after his best friend. Called after him in the voice he used when he needed people to listen to him. Isaiah paused and turned back to him, they were close now nose to nose. Finn reached out and straightened his best friend’s tie. </p><p>He paused there for a second, hands hovering before looking back at his friend. </p><p>“Can I kiss you?” He asked it in the quietest of voices, and Isaiah couldn’t bring himself to do anything but nod. </p><p>Finn kissed him gently, kissed him the way one kisses on their wedding day, with nothing but tenderness and honey as he cupped Isaiah’s cheek. </p><p>It was Finn who pulled away. They were still close, noses nearly touching. Finn was looking him in the eyes this time. </p><p>“Can you-,” Finn cut himself off, struggling to find the right words. “Can we-,” He stopped again, the words he was looking for were playing a game of hide and seek. “Fuck,” he looked away. </p><p>“Spit it out,” Isaiah urged, a glint of curiosity in his eyes.</p><p>“I want you to stop,” Finn waved his hand about. “With other people.”</p><p>Isaiah not being a psychic stared at him perplexed. </p><p>“What?” </p><p>“I want you to stop fucking other people,” </p><p>“Oh?” </p><p>“Yeah.” </p><p>“Alright,” Isaiah nodded with the finality that every Peaky Blinder was so good at mustering. </p><p>“Alright,” Finn whispered back. </p><p>And it was alright.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Just realized how similar this is to Liquid Courage but I really didn't want more angst. We all need a bit of cheer these days anyway. Hope you enjoyed :)</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>2nd chapter will be coming very soon just gotta do some quick edits :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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